The Hospital Authority has announced a new remuneration package for public doctors, offering higher salaries to those who joined the body after April 2000.

Authority Chairman Anthony Wu today said the new arrangements will take effect October 1 and will cost an additional $355 million. However, he emphasised that the move will not affect service to patients.

According to the new proposal, all serving resident doctors will be migrated, on October 1, to the corresponding pay point on the revised pay scale based on their prevailing years of service and qualification attained.

New doctors' starting salary point will rise from 27 to 30 and the maximum salary point will change from 38 to 44B. Housemen's starting salary point will increase from 12 to 16 while associate consultants' will rise from 40 to 45.

Doctors receiving specialist training will get two salary points increment if they pass the intermediate examination. Two more salary points increment will be given to those who pass the final exam. Doctors who serve the authority for two more years after they get the specialist qualification will get another salary point increment.

A nine-year contract will be introduced to replace the existing three-year contract so that doctors under specialist training will have more employment certainty. Those completing their training and performing well will be offered permanency.

To recognise the work of senior doctors, medical officers involved in training and supervision jobs will have their titles changed to associate consultants or consultants.